Videos capture humpback whales stopping to snack as they migrate along Australia’s coast
The discovery challenges a long-held assumption about where and when whales feed – and could help us better protect them.
The southern humpback whale migration is currently underway as tens of thousands of whales travel from warm Australian waters in the north to their cold feeding grounds in Antarctica. However, these whales are taking advantage of snacking opportunities along the way for much-needed sustenance. A new study published in Marine Mammal Science investigated the feeding behavior of humpback whales on Australia's east coast using data from citizen science and social media.
The research found that mid-latitude feeding is a common and widespread strategy among these whales, challenging the long-held assumption about where and when they feed. This discovery could help better protect these magnificent animals. Historically, humpback whales were described as "capital breeders," spending summers feeding on krill in Antarctica to build up fat reserves before migrating to low-latitude breeding grounds to mate and give birth.
This "feast or famine" theory was supported by whaling records and stranding accounts, which showed that most whales caught during migration in Australian waters had empty stomachs, relying solely on their fat stores for the journey, mating, and nursing newborn calves. However, the study screened social media platforms for feeding observations, resulting in 199 distinct feeding events representing an estimated 1,417 individual humpback whales between 2013 and 2024.
Major feeding hotspots included the NSW south coast, eastern and southern Tasmania, and the Victorian coast, with significant increases in observations during August to October, coinciding with the whales' low energy reserves. The study highlights the need to adapt whale protection management strategies, considering the overlap of coastal feeding hotspots with human activities such as commercial fishing and vessel strikes.
Implementing seasonal and mobile management areas with ship speed reductions during peak feeding months and adjusting fishing regulations could help mitigate these threats.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
